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By
NICK ZEGARAC
9 to 5 (1980) is the
irrepressible, irresistible, equal opportunity
sexist romp – outrageously realized by director
Collin Higgin's camera savvy and Dolly Parton's
breezy bumpkin delivery of lines. Sure, there's
something genuinely off putting about feminist
crusader Jane Fonda redressed as the frumpish
wallflower Judy Bernly – more like a stenographer
from the forties – but with Lily Tomlin's shoot
from the hip Violet Newstead and Parton's
good-natured, busty - if naïve - Doralee Rhodes
the combination proves winning and delightful. The
underrated Elizabeth Wilson appears to uproarious
effect as the constipated clerical assistant, Roz
Keith.
The plot concerns one useless office exec' –
Franklin M. Hart (Dabney Coleman) who gets his
comeuppance by these three feisty ladies for
fondling perverse little control freak daydreams
in his heart and mind. After attempting to change
the hierarchy in the steno pool from the inside –
but with little success – Vi, Doralee and Judy
kidnap Hart and hold him hostage in his mansion,
using a garage door opener and leather harness to
keep him at bay. It sounds kinky – but isn't. If
you haven't seen the film, it's definitely worth a
look.
In keeping with their sudden and current
renaissance of repackaging previously released
fare on DVD, Fox Home Video delivers 9 to 5 at
nearly the same level of quality one already
experienced on their bare bones release over three
years ago. Colors can be rich and vibrant,
although during process shots (mostly in the dream
sequence in which Vi, Judy and Doralee torture
Franklin in fantasies of the old west and Snow
White…aside: I wonder how Disney didn't sue) a
harsh film and digital grain muddy the color
scheme considerably and distract from the
performances. Contrast levels on the whole are
adequate. Blacks are solid and deep. Whites,
mostly clean. Dirt and age related artifacts are
kept to a bare minimum.
The audio has been remastered to 5.1 but is really
rather flat and one dimensional. Save Parton's
warbling of the platinum hit title song the rest
of the experience plays more like re-channeled
mono than true stereo. Extras include an all too
brief retrospective and audio commentary. The
film's original theatrical trailer also gets
reissued. |
